Cowboys RB Felix Jones reports to camp heavier than Marion Barber

SAN ANTONIO - Felix Jones can claim two distinctions on the
Cowboys: biggest and fastest of the running backs.

Coach Wade Phillips acknowledged Sunday the speedster Jones
reported to camp heavier than Marion Barber, the power back. Jones
said he weighed in at 218 pounds. Phillips said Barber reported at
214 pounds.

Both body changes were by design.

Jones added his weight through increased upper-body strength.
Jones wanted the strength to help him handle an anticipated heavier
workload. In the final six games - including playoffs - last
season, Jones averaged 13 carries and 79.1 yards.

"Anything that helps me out," Jones said. "It's a physical game.
I think this will help me out throughout the season."

Barber, down by about eight pounds, is among numerous players
who have dropped weight in search of increased speed and
agility.

The group includes offensive linemen Marc Colombo and Robert
Brewster, linebackers Bradie James and DeMarcus Ware, the entire
secondary other than free safety Alan Ball, quarterback Tony Romo
and wide receiver Roy Williams. Their weight losses ranged from
five to 10-plus pounds.

"I always tell them that I want them to be able to run as fast
as they can," Phillips said. "You can see they can play up to their
ability even though they're not as gigantic as they were."

Williams' weight loss is striking, but he kiddingly claimed it
was because of the slimming effect of a black shirt he was wearing.
Owner-general manager Jerry Jones said the club believes the weight
loss could be the answer to Williams' woes.

"Roy Williams will be better lighter," Jones said.

Injured Bennett works on conditioning: Tight end Martellus
Bennett joined the injured players for conditioning work and also
devoted extra time to catching passes delivered by a machine.
Bennett is on the non-football injury list because of a sprained
left ankle, but he expects to join practice within a week.

Bennett said he injured the ankle during an unsupervised workout
at the Cowboys' Valley Ranch complex. He landed awkwardly while
working on "jump ball" catches.

Offensive penalties return: The offense flashed back to last
season's struggles with false-start and offside penalties.

Tight end Jason Witten had a false start during a stretch of
three botched plays in the morning practice. Brewster missed the
snap count in the afternoon session. Tackle Doug Free also appeared
to jump the count in the afternoon, but the play continued.

"We can't have them," Witten said of the penalties. "We had way
too many of them last year, including myself."

A season ago, the Cowboys tied Chicago for the second-highest
total of false start/offside penalties with 26. Buffalo led with
32. Witten tied offensive tackle Flozell Adams for the team high
with six.

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